The Evolution of Guilt, a Sylar Story
by the little spanko
Summary: What if the next step in Sylar's empath ability is guilt? This story takes place a few years in the future when Sylar teams up with the other Heroes against a common foe; and forms a bond with Claire, who helps him with his guilt by spanking him.
1. Chapter 1 Cry

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters of Heroes, and do this purely for my own enjoyment. I make no money off of this. It just makes me tingly and gleeful. I hope it does you as well.

**Warning:** This story contains the spanking of an adult, but don't worry, the brat had it coming. Still, if this is not your thing please don't read.

What if the next step in Sylar's empathy ability evolution is guilt? This story takes place a few years in the future when Sylar teams with the Heroes against a common foe, and forms a bond with Claire, who decides to help with his guilt through spanking.

Look up guilt on wikipedia for more.

* * *

**Chapter One: Cry**

We'd just gotten back to the cabin that currently acted as headquarters from our scouting mission, hanging our coats in the hall closet that divided the main entrance room from the joined kitchen and living room. Claire and I had partnered together exclusively everyday for six and a half months today -- not that I was counting. The mission had gone well, I'd managed to get blueprints of the Cold War silo where the government was now holding 'our kind,' obviously in hopes that an underground maze with booby traps would slow us down. That really did amuse me.

"Hey, go see if they left us anything for dinner. I asked Matt to get Chinese, I know how much you like it," I closed the closet door and smiled at her as her eyes widened, "and yes, I made sure to ask for the steamed pot stickers." She smiled, clasping her hands together. Matt and Mohinder were already gone on surveillance duty, and Matt's mother hen complex always meant a waiting meal in the oven on surveillance night. Even though he certainly only really did it for Claire, there was still always plenty of food for the both of us. Tubs was indeed growing on me.

"I'm going to look over the blueprints of the silo to …why are you looking at me like that?" I asked her, my mood instantly changing from light to annoyed since I already knew where this was headed. _Not this again._ She'd been babbling about it all day.

"I wanna see if I can make you cry." She looked up at me with happy eyes, her hands smoothing out the front of her skirt.

"Claire, I'm not letting you do that to me. I already know you can't make me cry," I made sure there was as much annoyance as possible in my voice as I pushed past her from the hallway into the living room.

"I've never tried." She of course followed me, helpless puppy, sad eyes looking up at me. _That doesn't work on me, Blondie._

"I said no."

"Yea, well, if you don't I'm gonna tell everyone you're scared of me," Claire said as she folded her arms in that snooty, resolute cheerleader sort of way. _Scared?!_ _Fucking manipulative cheerleader. I'll show you scared! _

I turned left, stooping into her personal space so that our noses were inches apart, thinking I could intimidate her into backing down her little game by leering at her straight in the eye. "No one will be home for hours, Claire, wouldn't want to anger the killer, would we?" I growled the words at her.

The slightly raised eyebrows and the huff told me she wasn't biting. _No fear. Not anymore. _I sighed and stood straight.

"It's not even going to hurt me," I reasoned.

"Then what's the problem?" Just like that, her perky attitude was back tenfold. It was my turn to huff.

She swept past me and sat down on the tall couch, scooting herself back into it. I bit back a smirk when I saw that her feet barely touched the ground before she realized the same thing and scooted forward closer to the edge again. Looking up with her sweetest smile, she patted her lap expectantly.

"Come on, don't be a baby. …and you _know_ you deserve it." She spoke so sweetly; you'd think she was offering me an ice cream sundae.

"Might even help you with your guilt." Her smile faded ever so slightly. _Guilt?!_

"I don't have….." The sudden glare sent me in another verbal direction. "You're not dropping this, are you?"

"No – and why should I, with all you've done to me and my family? You ruined **Everything**! You ruined our **Lives**! You're lucky all I wanna do is spank you."

And there it was. Just tell me she wasn't Noah's daughter. Claire's other super power? Disemboweling you with mere words.

Somehow I was considering her demand, not that I felt guilty of course.

It wasn't my fault that I was more highly evolved than anyone else. I was made a monster, a hunter. ….it was my God given right. Besides, my work the past year and a half helping Claire and the others to try and stop the government round ups more than negated anything I'd done previously, right?

Even I wasn't buying that last bit.

"Why now? Why after all this time? We've been working together nearly everyday for over a year now…just the two of us for over a half a year."

"It wouldn't have made a difference before," she said thoughtfully, and then firmly "Now, stop stalling and come here."

_What does that mean 'wouldn't have made a difference before'? _I was walking to her side without really even being conscious of doing so, irritated as I rolled what she'd said through my mind. For a blonde, Claire had a strange way of being very Zen at times. _…before what? What changed?_

"Good boy," she said as she quickly grabbed my wrist and yanked me towards her lap. It wasn't that she was strong, her boldness had taken me by surprise and I lost my balance. She quickly released my wrist, grabbing and pushing down on my lower back while I was in midair so as to guide me to her lap.

I threw my hands in front of my face just in time to prevent my chin from connecting with the wood floor. _Anyone else threw me around like this, and they'd be dead._ She giggled, and I realized I had growled in frustration once I'd realized what was happening. _I did NOT agree to this!_

"Don't laugh at me!" I yelled at her over my shoulder, slamming my feet and my fists on the floor in anger, feeling stupid with my tall frame draped over her tiny lap, even though my thin hips fit just fine. "You shouldn't be doing this, Claire." She smiled.

"This is ridiculous, you know that!" I punched the floor again, growling. She gave me a mock pout, as though to insinuate that I was whining. _I do NOT whine._ I decided looking at the floor was much more appealing than her face, and I growled again. _The only reason I don't kill you now is Merely due to the fact that the death wouldn't take. __**Certainly**__ not out of any attachment._

She patted my back as though she could read my mind, and I somehow found it hard to stay angry. I did, however, find it nearly impossible yet imperative to stay over her lap, my mind churning to find the answer to why that was. _This is so beneath me, and yet I can't move._ My curiosity picks the worst times to prick up. _Simple curiosity, that's what this is. Nothing more. Nothing more at all._

She sighed happily to herself, pushing me and shifting her weight until she had me where she wanted me, and I wondered where to put my hands. I decided on the floor, thinking it best not to latch onto her bare leg. She, of course, acting all the while like all of this was the most natural thing in the world.

Wrapping her left arm around my torso, she pulled me snug up against her and rested her right hand low on my ass. I'd never been spanked before – hadn't even gotten my ass swatted as a child – and while I wasn't all that concerned – _I mean,_ _how bad could it really be? Fuck, let her do it if it'd shut her up_ – I did quickly realize that being bent over a lap with my butt that high in the air was enough to fully embarrass me.

"Ok, enough. Let me up, Claire." I wiggled, indicating to her that I was going to get up.

"I don't think so! You stay right there, we haven't even started yet!" Her grip tightened.

"I don't like this. I want up." I started to push up, not liking the nervous tone or that my voice had cracked, but she tightened her grip further, and I didn't want to fight her. We'd come a long way over the past year. Not that I cared about her. ….we just had a common goal.

"I don't care what you want right now, you stay **PUT**!" She yelled, enunciating 'put' with a surprisingly sharp slap to the under curve of my left cheek. My eyes shot wide and I sucked in a breath as I froze. That actually hurt. It hurt very much, in fact. Nothing hurts Me! _This little bitch found a weak spot I didn't even know I had!_

"And don't you go using your powers to keep from feeling this, you hear me?" I realized I had both hands gripping her bare thigh, fingers sunk deep in the flesh, as I started breathing again. _When did they leave the floor? _I quickly put them back down to brace myself awkwardly, uncomfortable with the contact as another thought screamed at me. _Get up, get up Now!_

"I said, Do You Hear Me?!" She slapped the same spot again four times, but with more force. I clenched my eyes shut and attempted a failed laugh, trying not to let on that she was hurting me, which she was, and instead thought about her not wanting me to use my powers. This was actually something I could do, but I hadn't realized anyone else would figure that out…Especially not the blonde cheerleader. I knew that the healing would try to kick in automatically, but I was wondering if a barrage of smacks would impede it.

I was considering this when,

SMACK!

"Sy-lar?!"

"I hear you!"

"And?" She drummed her fingers on the very same place she had been aiming all her swats, keeping the area radiating.

"Okay, I won't use my powers. Happy now?" That damn whine had slipped into my voice, and I shuddered slightly.

"I won't be happy until I make you cry," shocked, I looked over my shoulder to see a smug grin on her face. _This is not promising._ "I don't care how long it takes, either. It's not like my hand is going to get sore." _Not promising at all_, I thought as I swallowed.

She raised her hand high into the air; I tried not to cringe, seeing the set look on her face as our eyes met. She started the spanking in earnest, and I had to turn away as she peppered her slaps all over my ass so that I couldn't anticipate where she'd focus next.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

Her little hand rained down in perfect time with the second hand on the clock that stood on the table next to the couch, and I wondered if she was aware of this as I saw that the time read 6:11pm. I took some comfort in at least knowing when the next blow was coming and in the perfection of its timing. _Maybe 'comfort' isn't the right word…_

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

Her speed was causing the prickly pain of healing, just before her hand fell again bringing with it instant pain, causing a horrible vicious circle. I found I couldn't quite turn the healing completely off while she spanked me, my concentration just kept faltering with each new swat, but at least my attempts would keep her from noticing. Three minutes on the nose later, the realization that I was definitely not going to skate through this pain free made it difficult to keep my anxiety in check. _If I don't react, she'll give up soon, _I thought desperately.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

_How the fuck can This be hurting me so bad?!_ I slowed my breathing, in through my nose, out through my mouth in a rhythm to accompany the clock in 1:4 time. This strategy worked all of two minutes and fifty six seconds when she once again laid into the areas I'd be sitting on later – _Yea, much later_ - causing my legs to slightly jerk involuntarily with each spank. Glad she couldn't see my face, I tried to focus all of my needed reaction there, wordlessly mouthing my pain as I scrunched my face, as at least some small outlet for my pain while I balled up my fists. _I never was very good with pain._

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

_Stop, stop, Stop, STOP!!_ I felt fear, something I hadn't experienced in a long time, well up inside me as I realized that the healing ability was actually making the pain much much worse. _This is Not HAPPENING!!!_ I stomped my right toe on the wood floor in frustration, barely containing a whimper, immediately regretting showing any emotion.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

"Getting a little uncomfortable already, are we?"

_A little?! You've been at it for …. eight minutes?! For only eight minutes? She has got to stop, I have to make her stop! _ Broken hearted, I couldn't bite back the groan that escaped when I saw that the clock only read 6:19pm, but I tried to play it to my advantage.

"Legs are going to sleep," I grunted as I stretched them out one at a time, trying to cool some of the heat building in my ass, all the while her hand never missing a beat.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

"Uh huh. Funny, my limbs never go numb." That was it…

"You're playing with fire, Claire! Stop! Before you get burned! Stop! NOW!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs over my shoulder, focusing all the pain into the most intense glare I could muster. _This will end it! This'll scare her! This look gets everyone! _

She paused, hand poised high and ready to strike me again, shock on her face. I knew I had her now. I knew I'd finally won. A smirk just began to play on my face as I thought of her failure when her lip curled into a sneer and her eyes shot to mine. _Daaaamn iiit._ She just glared at me for a long moment, her throat making a guttural noise while she shook her head slowly and then raised her hand higher before slamming it down.

"Don't you Threaten ME, Especially not in This position! You've had Plenty of chances to really stop this and you Haven't," she yelled back, spanking all the while, "you're NOT getting out of this Now! You KNOW you deserve this!!" Then the unthinkable happened, she started hitting harder. _Harder?!_ _NO!_ I honestly didn't think it could get any worse than before. _Shit, shit, shit!_

SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!! SMACK!!

The force of her swats pushed me forward a little with every connection, and I couldn't help but squirm, I wanted to get away from that little hand! I could feel a slight sweat break out on my forehead, causing my hair to begin falling forward into my eyes. I tried so hard to keep quiet, but little gasps and sighs started escaping my lips. Within three minutes time, every smack was followed by a soft, '_Aahhh,_' and I lowered my head in both pain and embarrassment -- _so much for dignity._

SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "Aah" SMACK!! "..ow" SMACK!! "Ah!" SMACK!! "Aahhh…Claire!" SMACK!! "No!!" SMACK!! "Aahha" SMACK!! "ah…Stop!"

"You don't tell me what to do right now," she breathed into my ear, giving me chills.

SMACK!! "Mm" SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "Aah" SMACK!! "Ah!" SMACK!! "Ow!" SMACK!! "Aahh!!" SMACK!! "Mmmm" SMACK!! "ah" SMACK!! "AH"

Her hand fell incessantly, and I was not used to this. I couldn't help it when I started to softly kick and slightly buck. _Maybe if I show her that I can accept this, it will be enough and she'll stop._ I tried to keep quiet and docile, not wanting to see how bad this could really get.

SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "mmm" SMACK!! "Aahh" SMACK!! "Ah!" SMACK!! "mmm" SMACK!! "Aah" SMACK!! "nnnn" SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "AHHAA"

After awhile I was drawing my breaths more quickly, pawing at the floor. Curiosity – and a need to get my mind elsewhere - got the best of me, and I looked to see how much time had passed. It was only 6:29pm. Ten minutes had passed since the last time I'd looked, and at this rate I was worried that Claire would get her damn wish. _I'm Sylar, a fucking serial killer, and this is what gets me? This?! _I already wanted to cry, and not just from the pain.

SMACK!! "nnnnff" SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "Aah" SMACK!! "Ah!" SMACK!! "Oh!" SMACK!! "Mmm!" SMACK!! "Amm" SMACK!! "ah" SMACK!! "aahhhh"

"I didn't realize it was so easy to shut you up," I bristled at the smirk I heard in her voice. I looked over my shoulder and saw the look on her face. Not quite a grin, but close.

"Easy? AH - Your hand - MMM - has to be FEEling this by N-now. It's – AH! – going on – ow – twenty MINutes! AHH!" I'd wanted to stop speaking after the first three words, wishing I'd just kept my mouth shut. I'd try not to make that mistake again, no matter how much she goaded me. My eyes fell again to the floor in front of me in irritation.

SMACK!! "Mm" SMACK!! "Ah" SMACK!! "Aah" SMACK!! "Ah!" SMACK!! "Mmm!" SMACK!! "Aah!!" SMACK!! "Ow!" SMACK!! "AH" SMACK!! "AH!"

"My hand's fine, you changed me when you cut my skull open. Remember that? After you stole my ability? Since then it takes a lot to get to me, for a while I couldn't even feel anything at all. Now," she bent close to my ear again, "how are you doing?" Her tone sounded so bright and innocent. _How can she speak to me so sweetly when she's doing this to me?_ I thought as I furrowed my brows, looking straight ahead, it both angered and frightened me. I didn't like being reminded what I'd done to her, especially not at this particular moment in time.

SMACK!! "AW" SMACK!! "AH" SMACK!! "Mmm" SMACK!! "AH!" SMACK!! "Oww!" SMACK!! "AH!!" SMACK!! "Mmmm" SMACK!! "AH" SMACK!! "AH"

"That wasn't a rhetorical question," I looked back at her again, hoping the pain that I knew was showing on my face would be enough of an answer. _Doon't make me speaak_, I tried to say with my eyes. I got no such mercy.

"Well, if you aren't going to answer me, I'll just have to see for myself, won't I?" She immediately began tugging my jeans down with me still over her lap, not even bothering to unzip them.

"NO!" I screamed, reaching back, trying to grab a hold of my jeans to keep them up. "Don't you dare, Claire! CLAIRE!!" She giggled, I growled. Thanks to my thin frame, she already had them halfway down my ass when I was able to grab them, beginning a tug of war. "Stop it!" I tried kicking my legs and wiggling back and forth to throw her off, but couldn't. She laughed harder.

"Stop laughing at me, you stupid fucking little Bitch! I'll fucking KILL you, you WHORE!" I screamed the words at her. Her laughing stopped immediately, the silence in the room making my ears ring, and I regretted saying it as soon as the words left my lips. I looked over my shoulder, seeing the hurt my words had caused. I immediately shut off the healing completely, though I really didn't want to.

"Claire…" I let go of my jeans, but she wasn't tugging anymore. "…I didn't, I just…" the disappointment in her eyes when our eyes met cut right through me. "you were laughing at me…please, Claire…I'm…"

"You're what?" She spat the words out at me, her face clouding with the same detached look that my Mother had gotten the night I'd shown her my powers. The night I'd accidentally killed her. I couldn't take it.

"I'm sorry. Please Claire, I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. Claire, please." I didn't care that I sounded frantic. Desperate. She wasn't responding, just staring ahead blankly as a single tear made its way down her cheek.

"Here," raising myself slightly, I tugged my jeans down to mid thigh myself and tried to get back into the position she had had me in before looking at her over my shoulder again. A confused look had replaced the detached one, and the tear had been wiped away._ Show me it's going to be ok, Claire._ She looked me over, eyes resting for a moment on my underwear-covered ass.

"You take back what you said?"

"Yes. Everything. I didn't mean it; I just lost my temper. I'm sorry." I said as I propped my left elbow onto the seat of the couch and rested my chin in the nook of my arm looking back at her, my back twisted in an uncomfortable angle. Huffing, she looked me in the eye and then down at my ass again and raised her eyebrows.

"No wonder you got so upset!" she laughed as she trailed a finger over the bare flesh of my sit spots, making me hiss and moan while I cringed from her attention, still looking at her. "I'm good at this. Let's see, you have blood blisters here, bruises here and little welts here already," she gave a pinch to each area, causing me to quietly yipe and squirm each time. "Good boy, you haven't used your powers at all. I guess I can forgive you." Even though she was now tracing her nails over my battered flesh, clearly enjoying the fact that it was making me twitch, I suddenly felt at ease.

"But, still no crying. Too bad for you," she quickly grabbed the waistband of my dark gray underwear and pulled up slightly, baring much more of my flesh than I'd prefer before gripping my waist and pulling me in close once more. I actually whimpered, knowing it was about to get even worse. This time I got a sigh instead of a laugh from her.

SMACK!!! "Ah-OWW" SMACK!!! "AH" SMACK!!! "NO!" SMACK!!! "AH!" SMACK!!! "Owww!" SMACK!!! "AH!!" SMACK!!! "MMM" SMACK!!! "AH"

_Please, no!…no, no, no!!_ I couldn't keep myself from trying to kick away, the pain from skin on skin was bewildering, especially with as sore as I already was. My black Converse sneakers squeaked and thudded on the floor as I pushed and kicked my legs. I slapped at the wooden floor, my palms leaving sweaty prints that faded seconds later.

"This is your problem, you spazz out because of your ego and your insecurities," she said sadly after a minute or so – I was losing track of the time, and even though I was having a hard time following her as I tried to adjust to the heightened level of pain, she was still getting through to me.

SMACK!!! "OWWW" SMACK!!! "AGHH" SMACK!!! "AH" SMACK!!! "MM!" SMACK!!! "OwOw!" SMACK!!! "AH!!" SMACK!!! "Mmmm" SMACK!!! "UH"

"You destroy everything and everyone you touch because of it!" She was right and I knew it. It'd been a long time since I'd let that knowledge in, and it was ripping me to shreds to hear it.

SMACK!!! "OWWW" SMACK!!! "CLAIRE" SMACK!!! "NO" SMACK!!! "AH" SMACK!!! "STOP!" SMACK!!! "AH!!" SMACK!!! "OWW" SMACK!!! "NO!"

"Stop? Oh-ho, we're no where near finished I'm afraid," she said, eliciting a crestfallen shout of 'NO' from me. "You have a lot of repenting to do."

SMACK!!! "YEOWW" SMACK!!! "AAHH" SMACK!!! "OW" SMACK!!! "OH!"

"I know about your little confession room when you first got your powers, confessing sins and asking for forgiveness…"

"No, DON'T!" _How could she know that?_ I didn't want anyone knowing about that.

SMACK!!! "OWWW" SMACK!!! "MMM" SMACK!!! "NO" SMACK!!! "AH!"

"…and about all the times you've tried to be good...

SMACK!!! "AH-HA-HAOW" SMACK!!! "MMMRMHMM" SMACK!!! "NOOO"

"…you've screwed all but this one up so far," she delivered a particularly sharp slap that made me shout, "and you almost just screwed this one up, too!" I bucked, grabbing her thigh again with one hand. "…you've practically been asking for this."

"I said I was sorry!" I whined pathetically. This was getting bad.

SMACK!!! "AH-OWW" SMACK!!! "AGHH" SMACK!!! "AH" SMACK!!! "AH!" SMACK!!! "OwOw OWWW!" SMACK!!! "AH!!" SMACK!!! "STOP I'M SORRY"

"Sorry doesn't make it ok." _I can't take it! No more!!_ My legs started kicking up at the knees more frantically, not even touching the floor anymore as I wiggled all over her tiny lap. I couldn't keep from yelling at each swat now, the pitch of my voice getting higher and higher.

"And we both know that you need more than a hug to feel better for all you've done." Before I could disagree or even react, she pulled my underwear down to mid thigh, raised her right knee and lowered her left. I let out a wail and grabbed her thigh with both hands as I felt my ass go even higher in the air. Tugging me in closer, she began spanking me so hard that she grunted with the exertion of each swing.

SMACK!!!! "OWW" SMACK!!!! "AGHH" SMACK!!!! "AH" SMACK!!!! "MM!" SMACK!!!! "OWOW!" SMACK!!!! "AH!!" SMACK!!!! "MMM" SMACK!!! "AH"

"Claire, OW - PLEASE!" I hated myself for begging, but I couldn't take anymore. Looking at the clock again, I couldn't believe it had only been another eight minutes. _6:37pm?_ Still, realizing she'd been at it for twenty-six minutes made me feel better about the begging. Not getting any response, however, did not. "PLEASE STOP!"

SMACK!!!! "AH-OW" SMACK!!!! "OWWW OW OWWWW" SMACK!!!! "AH!" SMACK!!!! "PLEASE!" SMACK!!!! "AH-OWW!!" SMACK!!!! "CLAIRE, STOP!"

"I decide when this stops," she said with a harsh tone, continuing to spank and grunt at full force. Thinking and verbalization were becoming hard and my eyes began to sting. My yells were becoming uncomfortably close to wails at each connection of her hand with my ass. I was certain that I was swollen and blistered, it hurt so bad!

I had to do something! This had to stop! Desperate and with instinct taking over, I kicked my feet up and threw my hands back, all covering my ass as I screamed, "I CAN'T TAKE IT! NO MORE, I CAN'T TAKE IT!" I looked over my shoulder at her, my breath hitching, "Please, no more. Please?" She did not look happy. At all. My lip trembled, but my feet and hands stayed where they were. "Please?"

"What did I just tell you?" She was speaking to me like I was three; her eyebrow cocked and eyes boring into mine. Somehow, I remembered to stop the healing again. I did not want her any angrier.

"Th-that you decide when this stops," I said in a small voice, as I looked up at her from under my eyelashes, my neck and back sore from twisting back so often, ass throbbing.

"That's right, and what did you just do?" Now I felt like I was three. My eyes and nose stung and my vision began to blur.

"I stopped you," I said in an even smaller voice, and there it was. The first of the tears she had wanted welled up slowly until they spilled over my lower lids and down my face. I bit my lip to keep it from trembling.

"Right again," she huffed, keeping eye contact, "and now we're gonna have to go beyond you crying. You were pretty much done, too." I was ready to object, and then Claire shook her head, patted me on the back, and looked almost sad for me. _Sad. For me._ My breath hitched again as I almost laughed at the thought, and more tears fell down my face.

"Put your legs down and your hands in front of you," gentleness had returned to her voice. I did what she asked and she rearranged me on her lap so that my ass was even higher in the air. My eyes fell to my hands, tears dripping on them as I waited. I didn't have to wait long.

I felt her twist her entire torso back before she snapped forward. The pain exploded, but before I could process it, she struck again…and again. She spanked so fast that I was wailing and kicking within seconds, my cries becoming one continuous sound. I couldn't see through the tears to check the clock, but soon enough I reached my hand back again, unable to take any more pain.

Claire grabbed my hand and trapped it in the small of my back, trying to keep my bucking and kicking form in place. She spanked for what seemed an eternity, all time stopped as I broke into sobs. I tried to plead with her, but couldn't form any words, and so instead I simply hung over her lap sobbing. _This will never end._

The sense of desperateness was replaced with a sense of calm at that thought, as the spanks almost seemed to become me, my only reality. _It's nothing less than what I deserve, even though I've been trying to make amends, with all the pain I've caused_. Realizing this was the worst pain of my life, I wondered about the pain I'd caused everyone else over the years.

I'm not sure when she had stopped, and only realized she had when I heard her clicking her tongue and whispering to me soothingly while rubbing circles on my back. I slid off her lap to get up, and was surprised when she pulled me in for a hug, squeezing me to her chest, my head snug under her chin, both of her arms cuddling me to her. This made me cry harder, and I clung to her.

"It's over now," she whispered, bobbing me like I was a baby in her arms. I didn't know what to think, but I knew I didn't want it to end just yet. It wasn't until my sobs slowed that she started shushing them away. We stayed like this for some time until I couldn't help but squirm, eager to stretch my legs and pull my jeans up. She kissed the top of my head and let me go.

"Feel better now? I know I do," that irritating smirk was back in her voice. I huffed.

"Yes," I begrudgingly admitted as I wiped my face and nose on my long sleeves and looked up at her smiling face. "Happy?"

"I am. Guess what?"

"What?"

"I told you I could make you cry," she squeezed me back into her briefly as she broke out in giggles. _I can't believe you just said that_. The absurdity made me laugh, too.

"This mean I can heal myself now?" I looked up into her face, trying to plea with a smile this time.

"Nope. It means you can get your food and stand in the corner for awhile."

"You're joking." I pulled out of the hug and raised an eyebrow at her while I tried to rub some of the pain out of my ass.

"Not at all. Go get your food out of the oven and eat it in the corner opposite the window." My jaw dropped. _Fucking cheerleaders._

She matched my raised eyebrow, and I decided to do exactly what she said. I hissed as I pulled my underwear up, stood, and hissed again when I pulled my jeans up. Rubbing helped.

"Jeans come back down in the corner, so don't fasten them. I'll get'em for you, you'll have your hands full of food" she said brightly, hopping up off of the couch and heading for the kitchen, giggling at the look on my face as I simply stared, dumbfounded.

"Unless you want to go without dinner, you better hurry up." My stomach gave a loud growl that set me moving, and she laughed again. _I deserve this, don't I?_ I sighed; fighting to keep what I knew would be considered a pout off of my face.

Finding a box of chicken lo mein for me in the oven, I snatched it and a fork, tucked a bottle of water under my arm, made my way to the corner without a sound and began to eat. _At least she's letting me eat while I stand here._ True to her word, Claire came up behind me and tugged my jeans to the ground before getting her own food. At least, that's what I assume her course of action was. I didn't risk looking, and instead ate the entire box of food in minutes flat while thinking about what had just happened.

I knew we had gotten close, spending so much time just the two of us, but I had tried to tell myself that it was just a means to an end. My loneliness had spiked, and I was tired of being alone. It was a simple unattached companionship with a common goal, to stop the hunters. None of this was real, or so I thought.

I'd thought wrong. She didn't have to do any of this tonight, and I didn't have to let her. _Claire must really trust me now to even try this, just because she can't die doesn't mean I can't do horrible things to her._ That last bit actually turned my stomach. I felt very emotional, but didn't fully understand the emotions I was feeling.

Anyone who'd taken an interest in me before had had ulterior motives. Claire didn't. She could do this job on her own; it wasn't like she needed my protection. She didn't need my companionship either; Matt and Mohinder could provide that. I'd been afraid of the conclusion this line of thinking would bring, had been for a few months, but I couldn't really deny it now. _It's not as though she was building up for tonight to seek revenge, or I'd still be over her lap right now…or I'd have a sharp object in the base of my skull._ No, this was real and I was scared. I let my hands fall to my sides, still holding the box and the bottle of water, and let my face rest on the cold wall as I tried to get my emotions under control.

My eyes were filling with tears again. Claire had obviously been watching me, and was at my side seconds after my breathing began to hitch again, rubbing my back.

"I think that's enough time in the corner, come on." She pulled me by my wrist to the kitchen table where she'd been eating her chicken fried rice and pot stickers, most of which I saw was left untouched. She pulled out a chair for me to sit next to her in, a very hard looking chair.

"Do I have to sit?" I really didn't want to, knowing the pain would really make me start up again. She smiled.

"Yes, but you can heal first." She patted my back again. I released the ability, slightly pulling a face as the prickliness intensified until the healing was complete and then sat next to her. She leaned forward, turning my face towards hers by my chin. Being pain free helped settle my emotions a tad, but there were still tears in my eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" She cupped my right cheek in her hand.

"Rather not." I tried to look anywhere but her face, confused about the fear I felt and not liking the stinging in my eyes.

"We're going to," she said matter-of-factly.

"Why'd you bother asking?" She gave me a look that I was sure was a warning, I sighed. _Blondes_.

"Look, my Dad and Mohinder told me everything they knew about you when we first partnered up – that's how Dad convinced me, actually. I know you never had anyone who really cared about you, at least not for the real you. I can't imagine what that'd be like, and I'm guessing that's a big part of what went wrong in there," she said, pointing to my forehead. "Well, that and consuming so many powers so quickly."

I'm not sure what I'd expected this talk to be, but I hoped it wouldn't have gone down this road. The unease I felt burned up into my throat as I just sat and listened to her. I was surprised to hear our partnership was Noah's idea. That was shocking to me.

"We've been working together for a long time now. I've gotten to know you. I see this big black hole in your heart and it's sad. I like you, Sylar…Gabriel. I care about you, the real you. I'm tired of seeing you walk around with all this guilt and insecurity – I know you're trying to make things right. "

"I can never make up for what I did, Claire, not really." I wanted to hold back the tears, especially here, because the thought of her feeling sorry for me while we talked about this made me feel terrible. I didn't deserve sympathy; I deserved damnation. Those damn tears fell anyway.

"Think of all the people you've helped save – there are more of them than there are victims now. This needs to stop. You've changed, even Mohinder sees it." _Nooo he doooooesn't_.

"See, look at you! Like always, you won't hear a word of it. You've become my best friend, and I'm putting an end to this." My eyes had to have gone as large as saucers when she called me her friend, no, her best friend, and my mind screeched to a halt. Apparently she noticed.

"That's right, the monster who hunted me down, attacked me and my family countless times and ruined our lives ends up being my best friend. It's crazy, I know. But I also know I'm yours, too. Hey, things change."

"So what's this mean?"

"Well….it means I'm going to help you with your guilt from now on, it means you're going to eat some of my food because I can tell by the way you keep staring at it that you're still hungry and it means it's time to go over the blueprints so we can help more people." She said as she pushed the box of chicken fried rice at me.

"The pot stickers are Mine," she laughed as I pulled out the blueprints and dove into the food. The tears had already stopped, and I felt…safe. Happy. _Still, no one better find out about this!_ I thought while grinning as we talked about the building and its dangers. In all, it wasn't a bad evening.

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**Author's Note**: This is my first fan fiction, so please be kind - and do let me know what you think! Hugs'n'Snugs!


	2. Chapter 2 Decisions

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the characters of Heroes, and do this purely for my own enjoyment. I make no money off of this. It just makes me tingly and gleeful. I hope it does you as well.

**Warning:** This story contains the spanking of an adult, but don't worry, the brat had it coming. Still, if this is not your thing please don't read.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Decisions **

Over the next two days we went over the blueprints of the Cold War silo, making sure we both memorized the tunnels and levels and had a plan of action set. I would use my powers of telekinesis to float us in undetected and Claire would convince 'our kind' to trust us and to come with us. _She is the warm, fuzzy one after all._ The idea was to sneak them out through a series of distractions coupled with timing. If we were seen, well, I was the proverbial loaded gun. Claire thought she was real funny in asking me repeatedly if I needed to stand while we planned. _Fucking cheerleader_.

The intel we'd secured told us that the government held fourteen of our kind. We'd never heard of any of them, which made the mission that much safer – no emotional attachment. ...and then Peter had to go and get himself caught.

It was times like this that I truly resented the mandatory 'under the radar' rule that Noah had long ago laid upon me. I was quite capable of busting in on my own, neutralizing the enemies and freeing our kind without a single death or injury....but then they'd know I was still alive; which, according to Noah, would somehow put everyone else at risk. _Rules – I hate rules. Especially nonsensical rules_. It really irked me when my powers were so underestimated and underused. I sighed.

"At least they locked him in the silo with the rest of them," I tried to reason.

"Yea, great. They probably doubled their security," Claire huffed, folding her arms and pacing the room.

"And that's a problem _why_?" That question earned a smirk from her. One point for me.

"I forgot, my partner is the most _specialist_ one of us all," she said sardonically. One point for her - dammit.

"Well, Matt and Mohinder have done a week of surveillance on the place. Let's hit tonight if you're so worried." This wasn't really a risk. _**I**_ was going to be there, after all.

"You think that's a good idea?" She asked. I nodded.

Claire thought about it a moment and, nodding, said "Yea, let's hit tonight."

Matt and Mohinder hadn't left for surveillance yet, and before I could mention to Claire that we should tell them, she ran off to seek them out. Matt – of course – was in the kitchen snacking, and Mohinder stood in the doorway waiting for him to finish up so that they could leave.

"We're gonna hit tonight," she was saying excitedly as I came up behind her.

"Tonight? I don't know, Claire," Matt said over a mouthful of Fritos. "Rushing things leads to mistakes."

Mohinder spoke up, seeing Claire would argue: "Matt has a point. Our running protocol is a full month of surveillance. It's only been a week. We barely know anything yet." Looking at me he added, "I know you're worried about Peter, Claire, but we don't want mistakes that will cause your identities to be confirmed. The risk is too great."

Claire had followed Mohinder's gaze. "Oh, don't worry about that. There won't be any mistakes." While I was certain that the warning look in her eyes was undetectable to anyone but me, it still quickened my pulse. I instantly realized what it meant. Claire was telling me that she had decided – after only one spanking - to extend my spankings past simple guilt reduction to also include anything she considered as being a misdeed on a mission. _Shit_. _...I did not agree to this! _Apparently, that didn't matter.

Technically, they were one in the same. My guilt did lead me to risk my own safety on missions – according to them, but I wouldn't consider anything I've done as being overtly risky. Missions are naturally risky. Not to mention that I really have nothing to fear from anyone, no matter what Noah says. But the look in her eye told me I wouldn't win this argument. Remembering being over her knee the other night, I blanched, not wanting to think of how she'd react if I went out of my way to piss her off.

That's when Matt burst out laughing. Mohinder turned to look at him in confusion. _No!_ My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't believe I'd done this to myself. _**Obviously**__, Tubs cannot be trusted to observe basic common courtesies_. I glared.

He glared back, clearly not happy with the pet name I'd privately given him, and picked up a silicone spatula. Holding it out to Claire, he tried not to laugh as he said, "Here, I think this might come in useful." _Don't you __**dare**__ give her any ideas like that!_ He smiled innocently at me.

"How would that come in useful?" Mohinder looked around at all of us in sheer confusion, Matt laughed harder.

"No?" Matt asked as he put it back in the utensil holder. Grabbing out a wooden spoon he said, "What about this? The classics never go out of style...ah?...ah?" He wriggled both his eyebrows and the spoon in a pathetic comedic attempt. Claire simply huffed and folded her arms, smirking. I continued my death glare.

"Matt, what the bloody hell is going on?" Mohinder asked in exasperated tones. "Have you completely lost your mind?" At this point, Matt lost the ability to speak due to laughter. Putting the wooden spoon away, he shook his head clapped a hand around Mohinder's shoulder.

Mohinder continued to look at him in a mixture of confusion and irritation at obviously being left out of an otherwise known joke, though he soon began eyeing me with an expression that meant he'd likely guessed at the meaning. I sighed angrily and continued to stare them both down.

This is when Claire chose to jump in. "We're going in tonight, and we won't be making any mistakes." Looking at me confidently, "Trust me."

That sobered Matt up and quieted Mohinder. I smiled proudly at her, folding my arms and huffing at them.

"Then I guess it's decided," Mohinder said unhappily, "we'll get the new identities ready." He and Matt shared a wary look before they slunk off. Whispering to each other, Mohinder snorted and looked back at me. I raised an eyebrow and smiled evilly before I noticed Claire was staring at me.

She studied me for a long moment, and I looked back at her as she did. "I'm serious. Nothing risky or stupid – no mistakes. We get in and out, got it?"

"Yes Claire, I got it," I answered snidely. _What, suddenly she's my boss? Not happening._ "In case you've forgotten, this sort of thing is my specialty. Remember?" That earned me a sharp glare and a raised eyebrow. I looked away.

A few hours later we were flying over Amish country in northeastern Pennsylvania. We touched down just south of the silo complex on a cliff of the Appalachians, known in these parts as the Never Ending Mountains. _Hicks_.

The silo had been blasted into the side of one of the steepest mountains and contained a total of three underground buildings: the missile silo to the west – which was a deathtrap we wanted to avoid, the main entry way building in the middle – which was a three level stairwell and had the only real entrance to the entire underground complex, and the control center building to the east – which our intel told us was where the prisoners were. The control center building was only accessible via the main entry way building. The complex had only one road leading in, and it was heavily guarded. Luckily, we didn't take roads.

Noting her footing was sure, I let go of Claire's waist. Her eyes scanned the guards and then she looked at her watch. I didn't have to look at mine. It was 7:52:59PM.

"They change guards at eight, that'll be the best time to fly us in," she reminded. I didn't need reminding – it was my plan, after all. I just nodded.

The blueprints pointed out three cameras covering the main entry way building – the easiest point of entry - but I wanted a closer look. What the blueprints didn't tell us was whether the cameras were fixed or rotating. I had a feeling they rotated and I needed to gauge the timing we'd need to coordinate with the guard change. Matt and Mohinder's radius hadn't gotten close enough in their week long surveillance to know for certain. "Be back in a few minutes," I said as I made to fly off.

"W-wait! Where are you going?!" Claire whispered in an irritated tone. I nearly laughed – there was no one close enough to hear us. _Blondes_.

"The cameras probably aren't fixed – I want to know the timing so we're seamless," I placated before taking off. She sputtered after me, but I knew I was right. I should probably have told her about this during the shortened planning stage, but to be honest, I just like screwing with her sometimes.

There were three cameras, and I was worried that one would always be on the entrance. If I was right, we'd slink down the air duct. The rotating camera patrol was constant. ...and it had the air duct in view. _Dammit_. They were getting better, there was no denying it. Now to check the ducts on the actual missile silo...

There were two ducts that led to the actual missile silo, located on the western side – it was an underground seven level conical building that once housed an actual nuclear missile. Each duct had a huge fan and the fans were quite loud. I had to plan on there being guards on each of the seven levels, and that the guards would notice when the fans went silent. This made the fact that they were only patrolled every thirty seconds by one of the three cameras from the entry way building a moot point. Our presence would instantly be known. ...if they were smart.

On the second level from the surface was the blast tunnel that led to the main entry way building – the three story underground stairwell that had the only real entrance from the surface – the one I originally wanted to gain entrance by. There were two chambers – likely offices - coming off of the lowest level of the main entry way building, the second of which had a tunnel leading to the middle floor of the control center.

The control center was the largest underground building of the silo location. It was also the hardest to get to, and – again - was where the prisoners were being held. We'd have to go through the first two underground buildings just to get to it. It was a three level building, and we had no intel on which level the prisoners were being held, or on their condition....or on the security measures in place.

I decided the best course of action would be to make the fans appear faulty. Using my telekinesis, I focused on the furthest and slowed it's speed, causing it sputter and clank before resuming normalcy. No one came out to inspect it, which I took as a good sign. Doing this off and on for the next few minutes, I then went back to Claire. It was 7:58:31PM.

"What took so long?!" She was still whispering, fists clenched. This time I did laugh. "It isn't funny!"

"Of course not," I smirked. "The security is good, but I found another way in."

"Is it safe?" I rolled my eyes and she rephrased, "Is it _reasonably_ safe?"

"It's as safe as its going to get," I said simply. "I can go by myself if you..."

"No! We go together." She eyed me for a moment. "What's the new plan?"

"We take the far duct for the missile silo. We'll have thirty seconds, but they'll hear the fan stop when we enter the duct. I toyed with it for a few minutes – which is what took so long – to hopefully indicate a malfunction."

She kept eyeing me, and I raised my eyebrows. "Forty seconds til the change – decide now."

"We go in." She walked to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, a moment later we were airborne.

It was like clockwork. We stayed high enough to stay in the darkness, watching the change take place. We saw our opening – which coincided with the camera – and took it. I had kept fucking with the fan the entire time, and only brought it to a complete stop for just under a second as we went through it before I continued making it sputter.

The duct was wide, and I made sure to keep us from touching the sides as we passed through to the lowest level of the actual silo. Peering through into the silo, I looked up to see that the guards were unaware of our presence. _Idiots_. The glass windows circling the silo shaft had been removed, leaving perfect sniper positions. _Not good_. We'd have to go up five levels, and would likely have snipers surrounding and firing at us on each level. They'd know to shoot the base of our skulls, and on Claire it'd work. For good.

Sighing, I looked at Claire. The look on her face let me know she had assessed the situation just as I had. But she wasn't backing down, her eyes were darkening and I knew she was pumping herself up. I had to move quickly.

I blew off the duct register, meaning to fly quickly up the shaft, neutralizing the guards as I went to make it safe for Claire. I didn't notice the register was booby trapped. An explosion rang out, throwing us back and charring my flesh. Claire was already healed when I looked back, and boy she was pissed.

As my eardrums healed, I heard the guards yelling and setting up position above. Shrugging at Claire, I took off, shooting shots of electric at various boxes and cables. The result was stuttering darkness before the green emergency lights flickered on. _Not really very helpful_. I telekinetically ripped the weapons out of the guards hands, spinning the weapons in a circle around me but pointed towards them to appear threatening. I was only hit by gunfire six times. Once I had all the weapons and a fix on the blast door that separated the silo from the main entry way building, holding it shut, I went back for Claire. The following chain of events took only seconds to occur.

"How dare you?! This is **not** how we do things!" Claire yelled at me when I'd gotten back to her. She had gone from pissed to livid. "We're partners – that means you **tell** me what you wanna do, _**before**_ you do it!"

"Shut up, Claire," I said as I grabbed her up. It'd been an honest mistake, but it'd turned out ok...so far. Flying back out of the duct, I noticed some of the guards desperately grabbing at the blast door in a panic. Others were kneeling and cradling their own heads. I had planned on locking them in the silo to keep them out of our way, but...

"Sylar?!" Claire yelled, terrified.

Not a poison gas – no one is dying or in pain. ...this place is rigged; the walls are so thick, it won't take the other two buildings with it. _Fuck_. I screwed up. Badly. I didn't know where the explosives were, and I didn't have the time to find out.

I released the blast door, but it wasn't opening. _Locked from the other side_. I forced it, and the guards close by began running out into the tunnel. The first few were shot to death on the other side of the door. There was a panic to re-close the doors. I kept us out of sight from those in the tunnel, telekinetically helping guards to the correct level so they could escape. It'd been a long time since anyone had died because of me.

"Retreat! It's gonna go!" A guard in the tunnel yelled. I flew us threw, it went off before I could get the blast door fully closed. I threw Claire out of my arms all the way to the end of the tunnel, the guards still in the tunnel fell, most were scorched and mangled. Four were dead. I got the worst of it. I was missing my left arm, left leg, my hair and most of my exposed skin, but they were quickly regenerating. Claire was fine. She waved me on.

At the end of the tunnel was a raised staircase to another blast door – obviously for situations like this. I forced it open and went through first. The door let out to a platform just above the top level. Each level of the building was full of guards with automatics, and those on the highest level fired at the same time. This mission was pissing me off, and my instinct was to shoot the bullets right back at them into their ugly faces. ...but that would be wrong, and so instead I simply stopped the bullets from hitting me.

"Crack their heads together," Claire yelled as she peaked out from behind me. "Knock them out." It was a good idea – one that I was thinking myself - but it was hilarious to hear her say it. I couldn't help but laugh at the poor bastards as I flung them into each other. I worked in pairs, working my way down the levels, taking their weapons. It wasn't hard. Hey, it was better than killing them.

"We aren't going to be able to sneak them out. Reinforcements gotta be coming – we'll have to take one of their trucks. You'll have to cover us," Claire was saying as we worked our way to the two rooms off the stairwell.

Our planning hadn't gotten that far – it'd only been a couple days – but she was exactly right. I nodded my agreement and then listened at the door that led to the two rooms. There was screaming far off, either a woman or a child. Claire heard it too. She picked up one of the automatics and checked the clip.

"Ready?" she asked darkly.

"Ready," I answered, and then we burst through the door. Claire was a good shot, she hit the first guard right in the throat as she nudged ahead of me. I'd never seen her like this, bullets piercing her and her not even flinching as she shot to kill. It was stunning. She looked at me in irritation and yelled, "C'mon!"

Right then I was shot, somehow the first time I'd been hit since entering the room. Looking back at the guards, I grinned and started firing their bullets back at them. They had Kevlar – it was just knocking the wind out of them. I was also melting their weapons.

Annoyingly, they started getting back up as we passed them and one hit me in the base of my skull with a hidden gun I didn't know they had. I'd long ago moved the spot, but Claire couldn't. I had to kill. We made it to the final hall in a matter of seconds. There were no survivors.

Claire had changed out her weapon when it ran out of ammo. Nodding to me, she readied herself and I blew the door in to the control center. It was chaos. Guards and doctors were mixed together, the doctors running around frantically in their white lab coats.

"Everyone down!" Claire yelled, glaring and gritting her teeth as she waved the gun at them all. It was bizarre to see – her pet name _is _Claire Bear after all. ...She looks like a little angel. It shocked everyone still for a moment, and then the guards seemed to wake again. They pointed their guns at her, and I telekinetically flipped the guns up and right into their faces, burying a bullet through their eye sockets. Only a few rounds were fired at us before I was finished, and she was already healed when I looked back to check on her.

She smiled grimly at me with her teeth bared before grabbing a doctor and pointing her gun at his head. "Where's Peter Petrelli," Claire demanded. The doctor shuddered stupidly, stuttering nonsense. "Where is he?!" She screamed at him before giving up and throwing him down.

"You take the lower level, I'll take the top," Claire barked at me. Then she was gone. I was pulled out of my haze when I again heard the screaming. It came from the lower level.

The scene was horrific, and if anyone other than me had happened upon it, I'm sure they would have been scarred for life. There were more than the fifteen we originally came for, the extras were all children - mostly young children. The guards had panicked, and were assassinating the adult prisoners in their drugged sleep as they lay on gurneys while the doctors tried to stop them. A gunshot to the head each, wasted brain matter and blood splattered on the floor in a three foot by eight foot grid pattern. Some still twitched on the gurneys. Five doctors were dead on the ground.

They all stopped when they saw me, leaving two adult prisoners alive. Peter was not on this level. Eight children had witnessed this, and they were being held back by some of the doctors. There were no gurneys for them, they'd been brought in from somewhere else. Some of the children were calling out to the dead, 'Mommy, wake up! Wake up!' and 'Daddy, help me!' The guards necks were snapped the instant I heard the children call out to their dead parents. The doctors backed out of the way, pressing themselves up against the wall in horror.

I telekinetically removed the IV and breathing tubes from the two living adults. The children were unsure whether to trust me. I smiled and went down on a knee and the three youngest ran to me, burying their faces in my chest, crying. They had to be under five years of age. The other children weren't quite teens, some probably in middle school.

"I need you all to come with me. Stay behind me," I told them as I stood back up, cradling the youngest child in one arm. The two adults were awake now, but had no idea of their surroundings. I shook them both with my free hand, "We have to go. Now. Get up." The older kids helped them, and off we went.

On the stairs we heard an explosion, it knocked me down a few steps. Then I heard Peter frantically yell Claire's name. My blood went cold. I handed off the little boy and flew up to the level. Reinforcements had come, Claire'd been blown to pieces and captured. Her and Peter were separated, and as I set myself down on the floor she just finished regenerating. She looked so scared. I lost it. I just saw red. I ripped them apart, piece by piece, in a rage. They had a grenade launcher in the tunnel, I set off the grenades and relished the screams I heard before the silence. How dare they hurt her. Scare her. She was up at my side, fighting within moments, but even that didn't settle my nerves.

"Sylar. Sylar! ...the kids," Peter was tugging at me. I turned to see hollowed eyes staring at me as they hugged each other at the top of the stairway. I stopped and looked at Claire.

She nodded and walked to the kids, offering comfort. They all threw themselves at her, as though their lives depended on it. "Is this all?...is this ...everyone?" she asked.

I closed my eyes and nodded. _I shouldn't have made that mistake in the silo_. "I'm going ahead. Hang back with them," I told her. She nodded her agreement. Peter made to go with me, and I pushed him back. "She'll need help with that many. The adults are still out of their minds." He gave me a hard look and went back to help. I'd barely seen Peter since I'd sided with them, but in that instant we trusted each other completely and with no thought of our past.

I shot through the tunnel and into the main entry way building. I sliced and diced so quickly that they could barely react. They were entering from the doorway and through the missile silo. In a pulse I collapsed the tunnel from the silo. _One way out_.

I flew up to the surface, and as I did I heard helicopters. Those fuckers shot goddamn rockets at me. _Didn't think __**that**__ through, did you?_ I easily turned the rockets and watched the helicopters explode. It was beautiful! As I grinned, I was shot. Within seconds, everyone on top was dead.

"Is it safe now?!" Claire yelled as she peaked out of the doorway.

I looked around. "Yea, come on!"

We loaded everyone up in a large van, deciding that it'd be less obvious than the oversized army truck. Peter took the wheel, Claire sat next to him and I went airborne. Everyone guarding the road had come in as reinforcements. The road was empty. It made me nervous.

Ahead I saw lights approaching. They were way too far ahead to be seen from the road. Very far off in the distance behind us more helicopters approached. It was going to be a shit storm. In the valley below was a small city, I could see the little lights. I landed on the hood of the van and motioned in the directions of the coming attacks and then pointed down to the valley. Peter nodded, understanding. Claire glared. She knew what I was going to do. I telekinetically turned off the headlights to the van, picking it up and sailing it down to get lost in the anonymity of city traffic. The enemy wasn't close enough to see.

Claire rolled her window down, "You come with us, Sylar. Don't you go back!"

I didn't make eye contact. "Peter, I'll set you down in a parking lot so you can change vehicles. I'll bring the van back and keep them busy."

"Sylar, don't do anything stupid," Peter said in thanks. I grinned.

I set them down gently next to a Suburban in a lot behind a bowling alley. I started the Suburban as they all climbed out of the van. Claire wasn't getting out. She sat there, arms folded, glaring at me. I raised an eyebrow at her and smirked as I lifted a finger to pull her out telekinetically.

"Don't you dare," Claire ground out. "Sylar!" She tried to hold onto the van, but soon her feet skidded to a stop next to the Suburban.

"Its my fault, Claire. I'm sorry," I looked her in the eye for a brief moment and then set off with the van for a fight. When I looked back she was climbing into the Suburban.

I went back to the silo, setting the van down. I retrieved a few of the prisoner's bodies and a grenade launcher before setting fire to the control center. I put the bodies in the van and then incinerated it in an explosion, then I shot it with a grenade. In some places it was so hot that bone fragments might not even make it. I tossed the grenade launcher down next to a dead guard.

The helicopters weren't far off, I'd be in their sight soon. I steeled my nerves and crawled into the van, feeling my clothes and flesh burn. As one of the helicopters set down, I crawled out to see Danko running towards me, kneeled and put my hands on my head. The recognition was instant, even before my face healed. He was shocked to see me and ordered his men back. _At least the others would be safe_.

Danko stopped thirty feet off and took a long look at the van, "I'd of thought this would be a welcome feast for you. This isn't like you."

"How do you know it wasn't carry out?"

He quirked his head to the side, considering. "There were early reports of a little blonde with you. Where's Claire?"

"That wasn't Claire." I laughed. "You really think she'd work with me?" I looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Who was it?" He wasn't buying it. Not yet.

I smiled with dark satisfaction, "A means to an end. A pawn. ...A toy now broken..." Looking over my shoulder I shrugged, "...and burnt to a crisp."

He gave a short laugh. It had worked, but now he appeared to be giving me a speculative look. _He just can't let go of the idea that he's either going to kill me or use me. Talk about optimism_. "You know I'm going to have to hunt you again, making your life hell."

"There's that – or you can pretend to kill me again. I can be useful." God, I wanted to kill him – this was smarter.

"We both know that won't work a second time," he smiled coldly.

"You can't stop me. I don't have to offer my help. Your call." I was tired of dancing. His mouth twitched.

"Any suggestions on how we make you seem dead?" I was in.

"I'll give you my head on a silver platter," I said as I grinned mischievously. "Give me a head start. I'll be able to find you."

He nodded and I threw him down, his men fired at me as I flew off trying to look injured. The helicopter in flight shot a rocket at me. I let it come close and then caused a white hot explosion, the rocket barely missed me as it connected with the side of the mountain and into the middle of where the explosion had occurred. It was perfect, all the juts in the stone. I left behind a hand and then I went for it. I decapitated myself. I regenerated within moments, blasting the back of the dead skull in so that the brain couldn't be examined and quickly flew off too quickly to be seen, leaving the battered head behind. If that wasn't proof that I was dead, I really didn't know what was.

I scouted the road I knew Peter would be taking to head back towards headquarters. He hadn't gotten very far when I walked into the road ahead of him. He came to a quick stop and Claire came bounding out of the Suburban at me, throwing herself into me in a hug before pulling back and glaring at me. Peter had followed, and I simply gave Claire another shrug.

"Let's park this and call a ride," I said as I motioned to the Suburban. "No reason to leave a trail." He nodded down the street to an empty parking lot across from a McDonald's. _Oh, Tubs is gonna love me now_.


End file.
